1. Field
Aspects of the present invention relate to a ceiling assembly for vehicles, for example for a railcar.
2. Description of the Related Art
The ceiling inside vehicles, like for example railcars and coaches, fulfills several functions like air distribution, integration of lights and speakers, means to mount stanchions and handrails, means to mount ceiling panels and thermal insulation, cable ducts, etc. Ceiling assemblies are normally made out of many different parts mounted together like C-rails, holders, brackets, light fixtures, cable ducts, etc. The parts get either assembled inside of the vehicle or (partly) pre-assembled and then installed in the vehicle. It is a lot of effort to buy, handle, install and adjust the different parts. Furthermore, the length of the ceiling can vary from 3 m to 12 m in for example Light Rail Vehicles and until about 40 m in coaches. This creates another challenge to align the visual parts of the ceiling to get a straight nice surface. For example, the air duct is either formed by the parts and panels which creates the need to seal off any gaps, e.g. with aluminum foil, or it is formed by additional sheet metal or fabric parts.
An improved ceiling assembly for a vehicle is desired.